Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) helped one husband and father of two get his life back after perpetual snoring and fatigue left him feeling run down and without energy. Tory Anderson, 40, said he’s been tired every day for seven years.
Anderson began his journey in 2013 with a sleep study in Fargo.
His snoring interrupted his sleep, as well as that of his wife, Lisa. And it wasn’t just any snoring – it was “house rumbling” snoring, Lisa said.
“It didn’t sound like a snore, it sounded like a scream,” she said. “His snoring was louder than a vacuum, though not quite as loud as a chain saw.”
The sleep study returned with normal results, he said. No sleep apnea.
Yet, the chronic fatigue remained, for both him and Lisa. To manage the health condition, the two slept in separate bedrooms. When they built their new home, their two children, Eli and Abby, even asked “Where is dad’s room?”
“Both my wife and I, we like each other,” Tory said. “I wanted this not just for me but for her too. She deserves a a high quality of life and a good night of sleep.”
Life isn’t quite back to normal, however, Jan. 8 was a step in the right direction. After a month of daily dives in Jamestown Regional Medical Center’s hyperbaric oxygen chamber, JRMC healed Anderson’s wound.
DEVIATED SEPTUM
Anderson scheduled an appointment with JRMC’s Ear, Nose & Throat department to help him manage his snoring. Dr. W. Thomas Coombe identified the trouble as a deviated nasal septum.
Dr. Coombe performed a turbinate reduction and fixed Anderson’s deviated septum.
A deviated septum is when the bridge of the nose is crooked so it is straightened for easier breathing.
When Dr. Coombe straightened the bridge of Anderson’s nose (deviated septum), he saw that Anderson’s cartilage (bridge of the nose) was exposed and without tissue. Dr. Coombe grafted this area with skin. Part of this graft did not take and began to die. This threatened a large area on the bridge of the nose. If it died off, it would expose an even larger area. The wound-healing team started HBOT to heal the threatened graft site.
Dr. Coombe consulted with Amanda Lausch, APRN FNP-BC of the JRMC Wound & Hyperbaric Center. Lausch recommended hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and quickly.
Anderson’s first “dive” – a 90-minute session breathing 100% oxygen – was scheduled for the next day. A Saturday.
“Tory isn’t one to complain,” Lausch said. “He doesn’t want to be a burden. But this was a brewing infection and he needed emergent care.”
Between the Friday when Lausch first saw him and the following Monday, the difference was remarkable, Lausch said.
“This treatment worked. We could see the difference after three dives.”
HOSPITAL-BASED HBOT
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is rare in North Dakota. JRMC remains the only hospital to offer it.
HBOT fights infections, heals wounds and treat conditions including diabetic ulcers, radiation injury and chronic wounds. Without proper treatment patients may suffer for years without any improvement, or even worse, may face amputation.
This care is what makes JRMC a destination for care in the region, Lausch said. People from all over the state including Bismarck, Minot and Grand Forks even travel here for daily dives.
“Healing a chronic wound like Tory’s can mean the difference between losing a limb and keeping it,” Lausch said. “With a wound that won’t heal, people miss out on holding a job, going for walks, spending time with family. HBOT and our specialized wound care program is often THE difference in the lives of those we serve.
QUALITY OF LIFE
As Anderson heals, he thinks of all the activities he’s accomplished and the ones he’s missed. Camping, for example, the family always refrained.
“It’s hard when you don’t sleep well already and you don’t have the energy.”
Now that his health is improving, he’s looking forward to outdoor activities like camping, hunting and taking vacations.
“I want to enjoy my kids while they are this age,” he said.
Lisa agrees.
“Missing out on those things is no way to live,” she said. “Wound care results are kind of amazing to tell you the truth.”